Laundry machine

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a laundry machine comprising a stainless steel cover forming an appearance and burr shielding portions for shielding burrs occurring on the cover. The laundry machine is provided with the cover of the stainless steel, accordingly it is capable of implementing an excellent appearance, and provided with the burr shielding portions for shielding the burrs occurring on the cover, accordingly it is capable of preventing a user from being damaged of injured due to the burrs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a laundry machine (e.g., washing machine, clothing dryer, dryer and washing machine, etc.), and more particularly, to a cover forming an appearance of a laundry machine

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, a cover forming an appearance of a laundry machine is formed of steel. And, the cover undergoes a drawing process into a proper shape and then a coating process for preventing corrosion.

Recently, required is the washing machine to have a metallic-colored appearance. However, when the cover of the steel is directly used without the coating process, the cover may be easily corroded. For this reason, it is required to use a cover formed of another material instead of steel.

The present applicant applies a cover formed of stainless steel that is metallic-colored and hardly corroded even in a state that it does not undergo the coating process to a laundry machine, considering that the laundry machine frequently comes in contact with water. And, a plurality of inventions regarding this are currently applied.

In the meantime, in case that the cover formed of stainless steel is applied to a front cover of a laundry machine, the front cover is provided with a detergent box mounting hole for detachably mounting a detergent box thereat and a pump service hole for fixing a pump therethrough.

After the detergent box is detachably mounted at the detergent box mounting hole and a pump cover is detachably mounted at the pump service hole, outwardly exposed front portions of the detergent box and the pump cover are covered with a cover formed of stainless steel so as to be externally harmonious with the front cover.

However, when burrs of cut portions of the cover are not smoothly processed, a user may be damaged or injured due to the burrs. That is, if the user grasps the unprocessed burrs of the detergent box and the pump cover when detachably mounting the detergent box at the detergent box mounting hole or when detachably mounting the pump cover at the pump service hole, the user's hand may be damaged or injured due to the burrs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the present invention is directed to providing a laundry machine having a stainless steel cover and shielding burrs on the cover.

To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a laundry machine comprising: a stainless steel cover forming an appearance, and a burr shield portion for shielding burrs occurring on the cover. Accordingly, it is capable of implementing an excellent appearance and of preventing a user from being damaged or injured due to the burrs.

Preferably, the cover comprises a front cover, a detergent box cover covering a front surface of a detergent box installed at a detergent box mounting hole formed at the front cover, and a pump cover covering a pump service hole formed at the front cover.

Here, preferably, the burr shielding portions comprise burr shielding ribs formed at the front surface of the detergent box so as to shield burrs by coming into contact with the burrs occurring on the detergent box cover. And, the detergent box is processed by an injection molding manner, and the burr shielding ribs are protruded from the detergent box, preferably.

The pump cover comprises an inner cover and an outer cover formed of stainless steel and covering the front surface of the inner cover. The burr shielding portions are formed at the front surface of the inner cover and comprise burr shielding ribs for shielding burrs by coming into contact with the burrs occurring on the outer cover, preferably. Here, the inner cover is processed by the injection molding manner, and the burr shielding ribs are protruded from the inner cover, preferably.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a laundry machine comprising: a front cover formed of stainless steel and provided with a detergent box mounting hole and a pump service hole, a detergent box installed at the detergent box mounting hole, a detergent box cover formed of stainless steel and covering a front surface of the detergent box, a pump cover formed of stainless steel and covering the pump service hole, and burr shielding ribs for shielding burrs of the detergent box cover and the pump cover.

Preferably, the detergent box is process by an injection molding manner, and the burr shielding ribs are protruded from the detergent box and come into contact with the burrs on the detergent box cover.

The pump cover comprises an inner cover and an outer cover formed of stainless steel and covering the front surface of the inner cover. The inner cover is process by the injection molding manner, and the burr shielding ribs are protruded from the inner cover and come into contact with the burrs on the outer cover, preferably.

The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a laundry machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of A portion in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of B portion in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of C portion in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of D portion in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of E portion in FIG. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Description will now be given in detail of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Hereafter, a laundry machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a laundry machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the laundry machine in accordance with the present invention includes covers 20, 30, 61, 70 forming an appearance, and burr shielding portions 81, 82, 83, 84, 85 (refer to FIGS. 2 and 6) for shielding burrs occurring at cut portions of the covers 20, 30, 61, 70.

Each cover 20, 30, 61, 70 is formed of stainless steel so as to have an excellent appearance and so as not to be corroded in spite of frequent contact with water.

In the meantime, the stainless steel has drawbacks not enough to be used as the cover forming the appearance of the laundry machine due to its work hardening characteristic (particularly, when the cover is formed in a complex shape or when a front surface of the laundry machine is integrated with a side surface thereof, the cover may be curled by a spring back). In order to enhance a processability of the covers, a kind of the stainless steel in STS 300 group having a low spring back characteristic is used to form the covers resulting from checking physical properties of several kinds of the stainless steel.

The covers 20, 30, 61, 70 include a front cover 20, a top cover 30, a pump cover 70 covering a pump service hole 23 formed at a lower portion of the front cover 20, and a detergent box cover 61 covering a front surface of a detergent box 60 installed at a detergent box mounting hole 22 formed at an upper portion of the front cover 20.

The front cover 20 is integrally formed resulting from molding a stainless steel plate. The front cover 20 is provided with a central portion provided with an inlet 21 at which a door 40 is mounted, an upper portion provided with a detergent box mounting hole 22 at which a control panel 50 and a detergent box 60 are installed, and a lower portion provided with a pump service hole 23 at which a pump cover 70 is installed. Through this pump service hole 23, a user can put his/her own hand into the laundry machine so as to maintain a pump (not shown) installed in the laundry machine.

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of A portion in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of B portion in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of C portion in FIG. 2.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the detergent box cover 61 formed of stainless steel covers a front surface of the detergent box 60. Since the detergent box cover 61 is formed of the stainless steel, the detergent box cover 61 outwardly exposed after mounting the detergent box 60 at the detergent box mounting hole 22 may be externally harmonious with the front cover 20 of the stainless steel.

In the meantime, in order to prevent burrs B from being formed at the detergent box cover 61, burr shielding ribs 81, 82, 83 are formed at the front surface of the detergent box 60. The burr shielding ribs 81, 82, 83 are formed at a front upper end (A portion), a front lower end (C portion) and a handgrip 62 (B portion) at a front middle portion of the detergent box 60. A pad is adhered to an inner side of the handgrip 62. Here, the pad is formed of rubber so as to enhance tactile feel.

Hereafter, it will be described a reason why the burr shielding ribs 81, 82, 83 are formed at the front upper end (A portion), the front lower end (C portion) and the hand grip 62 (B portion) at the front middle portion of the detergent box 60.

The detergent box cover 61 is fabricated by processing a stainless steel plate in bending and cutting manners. Here, the burrs B are generated at the cut portions. And, the cut portions are still outwardly exposed at the front upper end (A portion), the hand grip of the middle (B portion) and the front lower end (C portion) of the detergent box 60 after the detergent box cover 61 is coupled to the detergent box 60. Thus, when grasping theses portions, a user may be damaged or injured due to the burrs. To prevent the user from being damaged or injured, the burr shielding ribs 81, 82, 83 are respectively formed at A, B and C portions.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the burr shielding ribs 81, 82, 83 come into contact with the burrs. The burr shielding ribs 81, 82, 83 are respectively protruded from the detergent box 60 processed by an injection molding manner, or installed at the detergent box 60 as a separate member by a weld or adhesion manner.

By the burr shielding ribs 81, 82, 83, the burrs are not outwardly exposed, thus it is capable of preventing the user from being damaged or injured due to the burrs even when the user grasps the detergent box 60. Particularly, the handgrip 62 is frequently grasped when detaching the detergent box 60 from the detergent box mounting hole 22, thus it has the strongest possibility to damage or injure the user's hand due to the burrs.

However, by the burr shielding rib 82, the damage or injury is definitely prevented.

FIG. 6 is a section view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 1, FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of D portion in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of E portion in FIG. 6. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the pump cover 70 includes an inner cover 71, and an outer cover 72 formed of stainless steel and covering the front surface of the inner cover 71.

The inner cover 71 is provided with a protrusion 71 a for mounting the pump cover 70 at the pump service hole 23. As the protrusion 71 a is inserted into the pump service hole 23, the pump cover 70 is completely mounted at the pump service hole 23. An unexplained reference numeral 24 denotes a knob of a filter installed at a pump (not shown). Grasping and turning the knob, the filter is separated from the pump.

The burr shielding portions 84, 85 are formed on the front surface of the inner cover 71 and serve as the ribs for shielding the burrs by coming into contact with the burrs B (refer to FIG. 7) on the outer cover 72. The burr shielding ribs 84, 85 are protruded from the inner cover 71 processed by the injection molding manner, or installed at the inner cover 71 as a separate member by the weld or adhesion manner.

Hereafter, it will be described a reason why the burr shielding ribs 84, 85 are respectively formed at a front upper end (D portion) and a front lower end (E portion) of the inner cover 71.

Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the outer cover 72 is fabricated by processing a stainless steel plate in bending and cutting manners. Here, the burrs B occur at the cut portions. And, the cut portions are still outwardly exposed at the front upper end (D portion) and the front lower end (E portion) of the outer cover 72 after the outer cover 72 is coupled to the inner cover 71.

Thus, when grasping theses portions, the user may be damaged or injured due to the burrs. To prevent the user from being damaged or injured, the burr shielding ribs 84, 85 are respectively formed at D and E portions.

The burrs are not outwardly exposed by such burr shielding ribs 84, 85. Accordingly, even if the user grasps the pump cover 70 when separating the pump cover 70 from the pump service hole 23, it is capable of definitely preventing the user from being damaged or injured due to the burrs.

As aforementioned, in the laundry machine in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the cover is formed of stainless steel cover, accordingly it is capable of implementing the excellent appearance. And, the burr shielding portions for shielding the burrs on the covers are provided therein, accordingly it is capable of preventing the user from being damaged or injured due to the burrs.

The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure. The present teachings can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. This description is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The features, structures, methods, and other characteristics of the exemplary embodiments described herein may be combined in various ways to obtain additional and/or alternative exemplary embodiments.

As the present inventive features may be embodied in several forms without departing from the characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalents of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims. 

1. A laundry machine comprising: a stainless steel cover forming an appearance; and burr shielding portions for shielding burrs occurred on the cover.
 2. The laundry machine of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises: a front cover; a detergent box cover covering a front surface of a detergent box installed at a detergent box mounting hole formed at the front cover; and a pump cover covering a pump service hole formed at the front cover.
 3. The laundry machine of claim 2, wherein the burr shielding portions are formed on the front surface of the detergent box and serve as burr shielding ribs for shielding the burrs by coming into contact with the burrs occurring on the detergent box cover.
 4. The laundry machine of claim 3, wherein the detergent box is processed by an injection molding manner, and the burr shielding ribs are protruded from the detergent box.
 5. The laundry machine of claim 3, wherein the burr shielding ribs are formed at a front upper end, a front lower end and a handgrip of a front middle portion of the detergent box.
 6. The laundry machine of claim 2, wherein the pump cover comprises: an inner cover; and an outer cover formed of stainless steel and covering the front surface of the inner cover.
 7. The laundry machine of claim 6, wherein the burr shield portion is formed on the front surface of the inner cover and serves as burr shielding ribs for shielding burrs by coming into contact with the burrs occurring on the outer cover.
 8. The laundry machine of claim 7, wherein the inner cover is process by the injection molding manner, and the burr shielding ribs are protruded from the inner cover.
 9. The laundry machine of claim 7, wherein the burr shielding ribs are formed at a front upper end and a front lower end of the inner cover.
 10. A laundry machine comprising: a front cover formed of stainless steel and provided with a detergent box mounting hole and a pump service hole; a detergent box installed at the detergent box mounting hole; a detergent box cover formed of stainless steel and covering a front surface of the detergent box; a pump cover formed of stainless steel and covering the pump service hole; and burr shielding ribs for shielding burrs of the detergent box cover and the pump cover.
 11. The laundry machine of claim 10, wherein the detergent box is process by an injection molding manner, and the burr shielding ribs are protruded from the detergent box and come into contact with the burrs occurring on the detergent box cover.
 12. The laundry machine of claim 10, wherein the pump cover comprises: an inner cover; and an outer cover formed of stainless steel and covering the front surface of the inner cover.
 13. The laundry machine of claim 12, wherein the inner cover is process by the injection molding manner, and the burr shielding ribs are protruded from the inner cover and come into contact with the burrs occurring on the outer cover. 